The 1980s and 1990s saw a surge of books featuring capable, strong, independent and immensely self-reliant female private investigators, such as Sara Paretsky’s V I Warshawki, Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone, and Linda Barnes’s Carlotta Carlyle.

A less well-known member of that group is Karen Kijewski’s Kat Colorado, based in Sacrmento. This book marked her first appearance in 1989, and followed her to Las Vegas to discover what a friend’s soon-to-be-ex-husband has done with a significant portion of her divorce settlement. Kat finds herself immersed in a world of dodgy property developments.

The plot was well put together, and included what seemed to be a very clever, and seemingly plausible, money laundering scheme (always of interest to a former tax inspector). I did feel, however, that the tone of the novel had not aged well. What might well have been seen as feistily feminist at the time now seems almost to be affirming male chauvinist views. Still, I enjoyed the story, although I doubt if I will go back to dig out any others from the series. ( )

a divorce in Sac leads to deaths in mob construction scam in Las Vegas

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